大象传媒

Chapter 1.

1.

John Maley
Air Mechanic 1st Class
Royal Naval Air Service.

Commencement of service 21st january 1942
Termination 6th may 1946.

H.M.S. Duke.

Trains were running late due to the atrocious weather conditions. Snow covered the whole country. I left Edinburgh waverly station at ten and after travelling all night and day we arrived at great malvern at seven o鈥檆lock at night. I looked out the carriage window , and under the station lights, one solitary figure, a chief petty officer of the royal navy. There were about twenty of us from scotland, and various pick-up points coming down. As soon as we alighted the c.p.o formed us up in twos, and we marched through the snow, and the only sound to be heard was the crisp snow which was forming into hard packed ice, protesting against our boots or shoes disturbing the surface. We marched through malvern and turned left at gates, and on the left of the road leading into the barracks.

2
There were row upon row of one storey buildings. This then was my first naval establishment, in other words shore base. We were given a hot meal of sausage and mash and i can鈥檛 remember enjoying a meal more. I was directed to collingwood block. The other blokes were frobisher and drake.. We were shown our sleeping quarters, two tiered bunks. And after having no sleep the previous night were glad to lie down with the thoughts that we were about to embark on an adventure, and would experience some things that we would never ever forget until we died. Next day we met our instructor, leading seaman hopkins. He and leading seaman parkinson were both survivors from a tribal class destroyer. Both very young, but already the grey beginning to show in hopkins hair. He told us, 鈥� i will be in charge of you to teach you seamanship, rifle drill, and naval discipline for the next five weeks鈥�. Really this is a disciplinary course to familiarise you with the kind of routine you can expect on board ship or shore base anywhere.hopkins marched us to the naval stores (slops) where we were kitted out with number one, two and three rigs (naval uniform),hat, two pair overalls, two set of duck suits, and a heavy navy overcpat, an oilskin coat and two pair of boots. No shoes, a kitbag and hammock.

3.
Also a housewife!!!. But this only consisted of a long piece of blue material with sewing needles, thread, and some wool. He also marched us to the sickbay for a medical and our inoculation and vaccination jags. From the sickbay to the dentists wher i was told i would have two teeth removed. The dentist gave me a jag and told me to wait outside. And all our class of forty ratings were waiting to have teeth extracted. I joined the queue and by the time it came my turn the effects of the jag was begingning to wear off, with the result when the dentist pulled, i could have howled holy murder. We were given a large piece of brown paper and a piece of strong string and told to wrap our civilian clothes up and address them home. At h.m.s duke no pesonal knife, fork, or spoon (our irons) or mug was issued, the irons were in a large tray and as you entered the dining hall you picked your own utensils and mug. All other ships, and shore bases you would be supplied with your own. All this routine you would come to expect every time we joined another ship or shore base. This was called joining routine. Hopkins told us, 鈥渘ow you are raedy to sample navy life first thing in the morning鈥�. Each morning in we had to look at a large board where all the different orders were displayed.

4.
If it was raining, oilskins would be worn. This morning, we were to wear number ones, our navy uniform, and heavy coat. The snow was still with us, but surprisingly we did鈥檔t feel the least bit cold, the navy uniform is so tight. In fact the uniform was so tight we had to help each other of with our jumpers until they slackend off. In the morning we were woken by a marine bugler and we fell in for divisions, collingwood,frobisher, and drake, all lined up for inspection by an officer, with hopkins standing in front of us.parkinson with his class was standing there with a heavy watchkeepers coat used for the long lonely hours of watchkeeping on board ships, in the cold of the atlantic, or the russian convoys. That first morning was bitterly cold, and as we marched up and down the royal marine band played such tunes as 鈥榟earts of oak鈥�, 鈥榓 life on the ocean waves鈥� and, rule britiania鈥�, all marching tunes of the royal navy. We were finally dismissed and we are on our own with leading seaman hopkins, teaching us to march up and down in step, and changing into columns of four. Eventually we would be given first world war short lee enfield rifles for practising those various routines. A very welcome habit in the navy is, 鈥榮tand easy鈥� at ten o鈥檆lock, when they pipe you to stand down.

5.
Hopkins marched us back into the dining hall and there are some large silver urns shining bright, and we selected a mug, turned on th tap and it鈥檚 piping hot cocoa. And we wrapped our hands around the mug to thaw out. The rumour (buzz) persisted that the cooks added bromide to the cocoa. Potassium bromide is a sedative, but we were led to understand it was to reduce the sexual urge. We learned how to tie knots. We lowered the ships lifeboat from it鈥檚 davits. We were issued with station cards with our watch, port or starboard. Also a green covered pass book with our photograph, and our medical history of jags. We ran three miles at night before tea. And with duck suits on swam two lengths of the baths at malvern. We are finished our discip course at last, and telling hopkins 鈥渉ow glad we are to be going鈥�. He looked at all of us young boys who had never seen anything and said, 鈥� some day you will wish you were back here鈥�. In the mess deck we sang.

Oh, we had to join, oh we had to join,
old churchill鈥檚 navy,
ten bob a week, f**k all to eat,
big takety boots and blisters on your feet
oh we had to join etc.
We are on draft to h.m.s medina for our i.q course.

6.
Chapter 2.
H.m.s medina.&
h.m.s daedulus.
Medina was situated in puckpool, ryde, isle of wight. A former holiday camp commandered by the navy for the duration. There were row upon row of chalets, which slept four on two teired bunks. In the centre of the camp, there was a large dining hall and on one wall a huge glass framed roll of honour to officers and ratings lost in this present conflict.. I sat and passed the decimal and algebra exam and for the remainder of my time hear was attached to the transport section, driving a troopcarrier to collect ratings at ryde, or going ashore at night. Sometimes driving the skipper to various functions. One day i caught a ferry to portsmouth (pompey) to be measured up for a number one black canadian serge navy uniform. All the navy tailors at portsmouth were jews and baums was my tailor all the time i was in the navy. Ashore one night in ryde with tommy puller from kirkcaldy in our company, we visited a dance hall with a bar, and although i鈥檓 not a drinking man i joined in with the rest. But as the night went on i began to fell dizzy. There was a large mirror behind the barmaid who was serving us.

7.
I happened to turn aroud quickly and tommy is putting a small drink in my pint glass, so i stopped drinking, and he鈥檚 winking to the other ratings 鈥渃ome on jock drink up鈥�. 鈥渘o鈥�, i replied 鈥渋鈥檝e had enough鈥�. Going back in the troopcarrier to camp i had severe pains in the stomach, and removed my money belt and put it around my shoulders. Tommy removed it and i waited til next morning and went down to his chalet. I said to him, 鈥� you鈥檝e got my money belt , he said, 鈥測eah it鈥檚 on top of my locker鈥�, i walked out and never spoke to tommy again. Rumour had it that there were some bodies washed ashore, believed to be germans when they tried to invade with barges, but the navy destroyers sliced through them. We were not here long before being drafted to h.m.s daedulus an r.a.f station at locking weston-super-mare. We met our old c.p.o another old reservest recalled for the duration, a quite, easy going man, with pure white hair, which earned him the affectionate name of鈥檚now white鈥�. In the mornings at six thirty he would come into our hut, rattle a hickory stick against the side of the iron beds and shout, 鈥渨akey,wakey, rise and shine, hands of your c**ks, pull up your socks, rise and shine鈥�. In the mornings we marched to the hangers with a bugle band in front to begin our five months course.

8.
With an excercise book and pencil our r.a.f instructor learned us all about the theory of flight. I,e how a plane flys, by weight, thurst, drag, and lift. All about hydraulics, areodynamics, angle of incidence, and dihedral angles. Mainplanes, ailerons, stabilisers, flaps, slats, landing wires, flying wires, non return valves. How to splice wire ropes, and all about high tensile nuts and bolts. We ratings have received our tiddly suits from pompey, and now going ashore we looked like sailors. I was bothered with dhoby rash which affects the privates with a terrible itch. I reported to the sickbay and joined the queue, when it was my turn a w.a.a.f nurse gave me a piece of paper with some greasy looking stuff on top and told me to go behind the screens and rub over the affected parts. I dropped my trousers and rubbed between my legs, came out and threw the piece of paper in the bin. I stepped outside and as soon as i hit air i let out a howl as if my legs were on fire. I ran down to our huts with my legs wide open and the w.a.a.f nurses are standing at the door roaring an laughing. Bristol twenty one miles from weston-super-mare was a target for the german bombers at night. We could see the searchlights and hear the loud crump, crump of the bombs and the noise of the aircraft and anti aircraft guns.

9.
Chapter 3.
H.m.s waxwing.

The course is finished and i have passed out as an air mechanic. I leave tomorrow for h.m.s waxwing at townhill in dunfermline. This is just a transit camp. I have been granted seven days leave.townhill lay on a hill a short distance drom dunfermline. There were a large number of nissen huts, with one large one for the dining hall. The huts had the usual iron stove in the centre to provide heat. A gunnery instructor (g.i) who had done his training at whale island portsmouth, the greatest gunnery school in the world, learnt us about weoponry drill and all about stoppages when a machine gun jams, and how to rectify this. We were now familar with all the different pipes, up spirits, stand easy, men under punishment, cooks to the galley, and liberty men fall in. In our hut we were talking about naval discipline and an old three badge killick told us that according to kings regulations in the navy under punishment number two you can be flogged with twenty five lashes. It was abolished in 1881 in the army, but not until 1950 was it abolished in the navy.

10.
We have a draft chit to h.m.s landrail, which is situated in machrihanish campbeltown near the mull of kintyre. We were to join 772 squdron a fleet reserve unit. At that time the biggest airfield in the u.k. our quarters affectionately known as nissen city in the far corner of the airfield, was to be our billet for our stay here. A short distance away we could see the village of ugadale with it鈥檚 small pub. In my hut here were 鈥榟ammy鈥� hamilton the ships barber from ayr, john stevenson from portobello, and tom finis killick of the mess. I was told to report to p.o luty where i would have to do daily inspections (d.is) to see that the aircraft were airworthy and sign the form 700. One day p.o luty detailed me to fly with the pilot sub lieut cooke in the skippers fairey proctor to prestwick to repair a puncture. I repaired it and i flew back with subby matthews back to machrihanish in the swordfish. Later on i would fly with matthews in a cheasepeake a lease lend aircraft from america. There were six here but they all caught fire and subby matthews was severly burnt. The squadron consisted of blackburn rocs, ( the first all metal aircraft built in 1930). Blackburn skuas, swordfish (stringbags), barracudas with their long oleo legs like some giant spider from outer space, six cheasepeakes, one defunct bolton paul defiant, one walrus seaplane.

11.
Lieut secombe was a regular pilot joining before the war and was very strict. One day he and an observer wery flying the walrus, the amphibian super marine aircraft. A young mechanic who had just joined the squdron asked secombe to fly with him. Secombe in his brasque manner of speaking, 鈥済et a chute and mae west鈥�. They were practising sea landings in campbeltown bay. The sea that day was a bit choopy and on their first landing one of the floats struck a wave, and the walrus capsized. Secombe and the observer managed to escape, but the young boy drowned. Our most popular pilot sub lieut cooke flew of in the bolton paul defiant and was last seen flying out to sea. He was never seen again. In the crew room was displayed a letter from the mother of the boy drowned, and it made poignant reading and we all felt sad. Some nights a troopcarrier would convey us up to the main camp to see a film in the gym or go to the canteen for a pint, and join in the sing songs, with the seamen, stokers, and torpedo men. The canteen was always full, with a lot of noise, men running back and forwards to the bar, and shouting to their mates. The songs were sung with a sort of defiance against authority and disciplin, and sung very loud. Their is a comradeship in the navy you will find nowhere else in the world. Those songs were the only way we could express ourselves.

12.
Sung to the tune 鈥� the girl i left behind me鈥�.

Oh, i don鈥檛 give a f**k,
for the killick of the watch,
or the chief of the working party,
i鈥檓 watch ashore at half past four ,
i鈥檓 jack me fg hearty.

My best mates here were reg wilkins from bristol and don mills a cockney from london who whistled and sang the piano roll blues all day long, and always greeted me in the morning with, 鈥� what oh jock me old cock sparrer鈥�.

Another draft chit back to h.m.s waxwing, for a ship or overseas draft.

13.
Chapter 4.
Hms waxwing
second time.
At waxwing no aircraft to work on, all the time the coming and going of ratings on draft to ships or overseas postings. A few of us would go ashore to dunfermline and visit the kinema ballroom or upstairs to the coop dancing. Watty turnbull from peebles as we walked down the high street would drop behind and shout, 鈥渉i sailor鈥�, and of course we would all turn round, and there鈥檚 watty doubled up laughing, 鈥� dinnae bloody kid yirsels鈥�. We have been told to report for a medical and to be issued with tropical gear. At the sickbay we had a t.a.b jag
( anti typhoid) and also a jag for cholera which is not so prevalent now. The cholera symptoms were, giddiness, sickness, sunken eyes and a distressed look.

We are on our way to liverpool to pick up a ship.

14.
Chapter 5.
The troopship
reno--del-- pacifico.
We sailed up to greenock to assemble a convoy of some forty ships with a destroyer escort. We headed into the bay of biscay, then the atlantic and through the straights of gibralter, and headed into the mediterranean roughly south of the balererics. We stopped at port said, a horrible smell of oil filled the air. We left the convoy and are on our own, and sailed slowly down the suez canal, and entered the red sea. We were bothered with prickly heat, (small water blisters appear on your back very itchy). They disappear when you become acclimatised to the heat. Chinky toe rot was another problem. (athletes foot). I slept a lot on deck using my lifejacket as a pillow. We stopped at aden where the bum boats came alongside to sell us fruit. We left aden and sailed through the gulf of aden into the vast indian ocean to arrive at mombasa harbour.

15.
Chapter 6.
H.m.s kipanga.
A petty officer was waiting at the quayside, and told us to load our hammocks, kitbags. And other gear on to a troopcarrier. We climbed aboard another, and were driven through the streets of mombasa, and soon came onto rough sandy road with jungle either side. Young native girls topless with large breasts firm with rather large nipples and aureoles the size of tangarenes. They smilled at us, and we in the troopcarrier all very young are shouting and whistling to the girls until the p.o sitting beside the driver told us to pipe down (shut up). The camp situation here was row upon row of long huts made from palm fronds with a concrete base. In the morning we all lined up on the quarter deck with a chief g,i in front of us. We were standing at ease wearing khaki shorts, shirts, with long stockings, and white hats on. The gunnery officer was very small with a thin and wizened face, his shorts were down past his boney kness. He wore three badges denoting over twenty one years service. He was burnt mahogany with years of service in the tropics. He lets out a roar, 鈥� attention鈥�, and in the same breath, 鈥渟tand still鈥�.
In the canteen we are singing.

16.
Oh you ought to see the
old bd now,
his dear old mother
would鈥檔t know him,
f**k him ,since he took a wife,
he鈥檚 been f****d up all his life,
oh you ought to see the poor old bd now.

We fleet-air-arm ratings are again on the move again on an idian troopship the talma tomorrow.

The indian troopship talma.
Down at the dockyard the following morning my heart sank when i first set eyes on talma, she was very old and covered in rust. We had only one scare when we were chased by a japanese submarine. We arrived in colombo harbour in ceylon (sri lanka) and were based at h.m.s bherunda before moving ninety miles up the coast to *h.m.s rajaliya at puttalam, a malaria infested place. Rajaliya was an operational unit to train pilots, airgunners, and aircrew for combat duties.
17.
Chapter 7.
H.M.S Rajaliya.
We were to be based here until plans were drawn up whereby we would join up with thw american fleet to amass the largest force of ships the world would ever see, for the final assualt on the japanese fleet. Rajalya came under the direct command of admiral lord louis mountbatten supreme commander of south east asia command (s.e.a.c) his headquarters were at kandy where he directed operations. Rajaliya was an operational training unit to train pilots, airgunners, and airmechanic for combat duties. There were aproximately 1,000 men on the camp all comparitively young with a few exceptions. Huts for our accomadation were the same as kipanga, palm fronds, each hut contained at least forty men with a bed and locker each. The heads (toilets) were situad outside at the far end of the hut. No drain toilets here, dry closets, a wooden compartment with a pail, there were eight with half doors. I was the only scot in hut 10, and here beside me were 鈥榖unny glover鈥�, ken (dolly) grey, both of the transport section. On entering the dining hall there was a fifty gallon barrel of ice cold lime water which we were advised to drink.

18.
For the prevention of the dreaded disease scurvy. The symptoms were painful and swollen legs, the flesh when pressed in would not return to it鈥檚 former state. You suffer from bleeding, and extreme debility, accompanied by swollen gums which prevents you from opening your mouth, your breath smells and in the olden days you were lucky if you lasted a week. Then it was the lack of fresh provisions. We fell in at the middle gate where a troopcarrier was waiting to take us down to the airfield, where we worked on gruman martlets and avengers, and on our own spitfires (seafires) with the addition of an arrester hook for landing on aircraft carriers. After a while we were all mahogany coloured.
There was an italian prisoner of war camp here. We were allowed fourteen days leave to go up to the hills for a rest at Diyatalawa and Negombo. I was twice in the sickbay with malaria. The first atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima on the sixth of august 1945, and the second three days later on the ninth of august. We were ordered to clear lower deck, and the full ships company hear the good news, japan has surendered. We left Rajaliya to go on an aircraft carrier to h.m.s vallura in tam--ba--ram madras. After a few weeks we moved to bombay and sailed for home on the french troopship ill--de-france. I had served two years overseas.
.
19.

I鈥檓 an old man now but i still look back with fondness at the time i spent in the fleet--air--arm and with all the shipmates i knew. It was strange how all the time i was in the navy my usual shipmates were english, quite decent men.

John Maley is a war disabled pensioner.

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